The National Housing Endowment, NAHB’s philanthropic arm, and the Skilled Labor Fund, n initiative launched in 2017 to address the shortage of skilled labor entering the residential construction market, last week teamed up to provide $57,000 to the Home Builders Institute’s Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) program.

“This funding went to work immediately to launch skilled trades training in 15 high schools,” said Ted Mahoney, a member of the fund’s operating committee and chairman-elect of the Endowment.

Milford High School in Milford, Massachusetts, was the first school to receive funding from this grant, supporting their carpentry program for grades 10 through 12.

The grant also will fund PACT curriculum in 14 Rhode Island high schools through a matching grant program with the state. This career and technical education curriculum grant will benefit more than 200 students.

More than 80% of builders and remodelers report labor shortages across all 15 occupations that make up the skilled trades.

“The pain is shared by consumers and builders alike in the form of less supply, higher prices and longer lead times to complete new homes and remodeling projects,” said Endowment president and CEO Mark Pursell.

The Skilled Labor Fund is a partnership of NAHB, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the National Kitchen & Bath Association, SGC Horizon and the advertising agency Hydrogen, and focuses solely on skilled labor for the residential housing market.

“We all have much work to do to address the labor issues in residential construction,” said Pursell. “The industry, educational institutions and associations need to work together to show American youth the promising careers in the housing market and to provide them with the skills to succeed.”